Lewis h



(No Moden) L. H. SONDHEIM.

PENGJL.

No. 452,242. Patented May 12,1891.

A TZOHNEYS n., wAsnmarcm,

w: uonms Perensco., Numana W/TNESSS 2./

`new writing-points as required.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

LEwIs II. soNInIELII,y or NEw YORK, N. Y.

PENCIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,242, dated May 12,1891.

Application filed April 10, 1890. Serial No. 347,338. (No model T0 collwhom, t may con/ecru:

Be it known that I, LEwIs I-I. SONDIIEIM, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and Improved Pencil, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient pencil having a casing preferably made of wood and which isnot to be cut away or removed as the lead wears away, and is adapted tohold a movable lead, which is fed forward to furnish The lead may alsobe pushed backward by pressure on its point to protect it within thepencil-casing when not in use.

The invention` will first be described, and then 'will be particularlypointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part ofthis specificaiion,

.in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved pencil partly broken awayand in section and with the end ferrule and cap device drawn slightlyback from the normal position. Fig. la is a detail view of the preferredform of shuttle in its tilted position relatively to the lead holdingand actuating tube. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view ofthe pencil, taken at a right angle to Fig. l. Fig. Sis a perspectiveView of the inner movable end cap and adjacent connected portion of theslotted lead-holdin g tube of the pencil. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line x in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front end view of thepreferred form of lead-'feeding shuttle or traveler device. Figs. G and6 are side perspective views of the shuttle, taken at right angles toeach other. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view illustrating a modificationof the shuttle as fitted upon the slotted lead-holding tube of thepencil. Fig. S is a partly sectional view of the lead-tube and lead anda modified or two-part shuttle device. Fig. is a sectional view of partof the slotted lead-holding tube shown at right angles to a like part inFig. S, and with another modified form of lead-feeding shuttle applied;and Fig. 10 is a sectional side view illustrating another modificationof a pencil in which the slotted tube and its operating-cap may bepushed back by pressure on the point of the lead, while allowing thelead to be fed forward by reciprocation of the cap and slotted tube.

In particularly describing the invention I will refer at first to Figs.l to 7, inclusive, of the drawings and afterward explain themodifications shown in the other views.

vThe pencil-casing A, which is preferably made of wood, having a centrallongitudinal bore a, is tapered at the forward end a and at the back endis reduced a little to provide a shoulder d2, which receives a thinmetal ferrule B, which has animpressed nib or projecvtion l), adapted tolock with an angular groove or slot Z9', madein the casing-shoulder a2after the manner of a bayonet-joint, and which allows removal oftheferrule and attachments from the casing. Any other suitable lock orlatch device permitting this detachment of the ferrule and connectedparts 1nay,how ever, be employed.

To the ferrule B, and preferably within it, is fitted for longitudinalsliding movement a cap C., to which is held a forwardly-ranging slottedtube D, which enters the pencil-casing bore a and accommodates within itthe lead or crayon E, and also loosely supports or sustains alead-feeding device F, which I call a shuttle. The cap C may beconnected to the slotted tube D in any suitable manner, assuringsimultaneous sliding movement of both cap and tube. A preferredconnection,however, is made by providing the back end of the tube with afixed flange or an end plate, forming a flange d, which is engaged andrigidly held by a series, preferably three, of forked or edge slottedlips c, punched inward from the main body of metal of the cap. The capalso has slots'c, int-o which enter the usual metal lips b2, punchedinward from the metal of the ferrule to limit the backward longitudinalsliding movement of the cap in the ferrule. f'

l provide the sliding cap C with a suitable latch device, which willlock it to the ferrule when pushed forward, and thereby hold the lead orcrayon E projected from the tapering point of the casing when it isdesired to write with the pencil. This latch device I prefer to make inthe form of the common bowspring G, which is placed within the cap andahas a lip g, which extends outward laterally through the cap and isadapted to enter or latch into a side perforation of the ferrule B, asshown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings.

The lead-tube D is provided at its forward end with a lateral projectionor detent, preferably made in the form of a collar or enlargement d'.The prime office of this projection or detent is to form a holdback orresistancepoint against which the shuttle F will rest to allow it to bedrawn from the back end of the pencil-casing by and with the lead -tube.The round collar or shoulder or one fitting the interior bore of thepencil-casing is preferable as a detent over a simple pin, in that thecollar fits the walls of the casing-bore all around and steadies thelead-tube therein, and also steadies the protruding point of the lead,which, however, fits snugly within the bore of the tapered end a of thecasing to prevent the lead slipping forward or downward out of thecasing when it is not clamped to the plunger. The lead-tube D isprovided along one side with a series of transverse notches or slots d2,forming arack, and along` its opposite side the tube has a slot d.

The preferred form of shuttle or lead-feed ing device which I employ isthe one F. (Shown in Figs. 5,6, and G of the drawings.) This shuttle ismade with a cylindrical or partly cylin drical body portion f, from theforward end of which at one side project, preferably, two spring-fingersf f ,while from the opposite side projects one spring-hugely, which isadapted to work in the rack notches d2 of the lead-tube D,around whichthe shuttle body fits loosely enough to allow it to be tilted relativelyto the tube, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, while the two oppositelingers ff bear on the tube, one at each side of its slot d3. The bodyportion fof the shuttle is preferably left open along one side at f3,and this not only allows circumferential enlargement of the shuttle tocause it always to fit closely or with considerable friction against thewall of the bore a of the pencil-case, but it allows one end f4 of thepart f to be bent inward radially and travel in the lead-tube slot (Z3to hold the pawl fin proper position relatively t0 the lead-tube rack,while said part f" also aords a means of rigidly connecting to theshuttle-body a forwardly-projecting stem or plunger f t", which slideswithin the lead-tube D for feeding the lead forward,while the body f ofthe shuttle surrounds the lead-tube either entirely or passes more thanhalf-way around it to hold the shuttle to the tube, and to enable theoutside of the shuttle to have frictional bearing on or contact withopposite or diametrically-oppositc parts of the walls of the bore 0f thepencil-casing.

The plunger f5 may be formed of a doubled or bcnt-over portion of themetal projecting from the radial part f4, so that the whole shuttle ismade of one piece of stamped or shaped sheet metal, and this bentplunger portion may be made to clamp the back end of the lead E in thetube D; but I at presentprefer to have the plunger separate from orindependent of the lead in this construction of the pencil. The plungermay also be a piece of solid wire soldered onto the end of the radialpiece or iin f" of the shuttle, as shown in Fig. 7. It will beunderstood that the radial portion f ofthe shuttle which extends throughthe lead-tube slot (Z3 to the interior of the tube would itself answeras a plunger to feed the lead forward; but I prefer to provide the frontprolongation f5 of this radial part f", which allows the shuttle to pushthe last remnant of the lead entirely through the tapering point a ofthe pencilcasing.

Fig. 7 of the drawings illustrates how the body portionf of the shuttlemay be extended but a little more than one-half way around the lead-tubeD, or only enough to hold it loosely thereon. The spring-fingers fopposite the pawl-fingerf2 are not essential, but their use ispreferable as a steadiinent to the shuttle on the lead-tube and an aidto the engagement of the pawl with the rack of the tube. This rack mayalso be formed in or on the lead-tube in any preferred manner. Figs. land 2of the drawings clearly show the relative arrangement of theslotted lead-tube D, the shuttle F, and the lead E within thepencil-casing, the shuttle and lead being farther advanced toward thepencil-point in Fig. 2 than in Fig. l.

The operation of the pencil is very simple and effective. Vhcn a newlong` lead Eis first put into the slotted tube D of the pencil and theferrule B is locked to the casing Aat' the nib and slot Z) b', theshuttle ortravelerF will engage one of the outer or back notches orteeth d2 of the lcad-tube rack. The action of the lead-tube and shuttlein feeding the lead forward one writing-point or length of aboutone-quarter of an inch is the same until the lead is quite used up orworn away, and is as follows: Suppose that the lead requires feedingforward. It is only necessary to press back the lug or lip g of thcspring G to disengage or unlock the cap C from the ferrule B, and thendraw back the cap as far as its slot c and the ferrule-Stop b2 willallow. As the lead tube D is held to the cap, it moves backward with it;but the friction of the outer walls or faces of the shuttle or travelerF ou the walls of the bore a of the pencil-casing is sufficient to holdit at rest in the casing and also to prevent backward movement of thelead in the tube D, while this tube moves back through the shuttlc andthe shuttle-pawl f2 clicks on or over a few notches or teeth of thelead-tube rack and again engages one of its notches. If now the cap C ispushed forward again, the leadtube D will also be carried forward by it,and as the shuttle-pawl is engaged with the tuberack the shuttle willnecessarily be carried forward with the tube and cap and its plun ger f"will protrude or project the lead E a TOO IIO

distance corresponding with the forward lengthwise movement of the cap.As the cap reaches the extreme of its forward movement after projectingor feeding the lead or crayon, as above described, the cap-.detent-inthis instance the lug or lip g-of the bow-spring G will snap intothe'opening made for it in the ferrule, (which in this regard issubstantially a part of the pencil-casing) and the detent will then holdthe cap and lead-tube against backward movement. As the shuttle ortraveler engages the lead-tube rack and backs up the lead E by itsplunger the lead or crayon will be held against backward movement toallow it to be used for writing or other purposes.

After using the pencil it is desirable to protect the lead by returningits writing-point within the casing, and this may be done by simplypressing in the spring-lip g and pressing the point of the protrudinglead E onto a desk, table, or other resisting-surface, which will pushback the shuttle-plunger f5 by the lead and cause the pawl f2 or anyother detent on the shuttle engaging the lead-tube to push back thistube, and also push back the pencil-cap C to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.- It will be noticed that thelead, plunger, shuttle, leadtube, and cap are all moved backwardtogether or simultaneously by pressure on the point of the lead. Toagain advance the lead for use it is only necessary to push the capforward again until the detent g again engages the locking-slot in theferrule to hold the lead projected for use. During this forward movementof the lead the cap, leadtube, shuttle, and lead all move together orsimultaneously.

I make special mention of these two distinct duplex operations of thepencil, the firstto project the worn lead to provide a new writing-pointby drawing back the slotted tube by the cap while the shuttle remains atrest within the casing, thereby changing the relative positions of thetube and shuttle, and then pushing the cap, tube, and shuttle forwardsimultaneously to project the lead, and the second operation, topushback and protect the lead within the casing by pressure on the pointof the lead, thereby pushing back the cap, lead-tube, shuttle, and leadwithout disturbing orvchanging their relative positions, and thencarrying the lead forward again by pressure on the cap in the same wayasin the first operation. l am not aware that a pencil has heretoforebeen made which embodies these two principles of operation. HeneeIbroadly claim such a pencil independently of the particular form ofshuttle or traveler device engaging the lead-tube and pencil-casing forfeeding the lead. Various modi-` iic'ations of the shuttle or travelerdevice may be made within the scope of my invention, and I willpresently describe a few with reference to the drawings.

To put a'new long lead E into the pencil shown in Figs. l and 2 of thedrawings it is only necessary to uncouple the bayonet-joint b b and drawthe ferrule B, with the cap C and lead-tube D, from the pencil-casing A,the holdback or shoulder d of the tube then pulling the shuttle F alsofrom the casing. The shuttle, which while within the casing is heldparallel with the lead-tube, may now be sufficiently tilted upon thewithdrawn tube to disengage its pawl or detent from the tube notches orrack, and will be slid by hand along the tube to its back end next thecap, while the radial part f4 of the shuttle slides along the lead-tubeslot d3. After the new lead is inserted in the tube from its forward endand the tube is slipped forward again into the pencil-casin g, theferrule B will again be locked to the casing. If the lead point does notnow project into position for writing, it may be so adjusted by one ormore reciprocations of the cap C, as will be understood from theaforesaid description. Vhen the lead-tube and shuttle are replaced inthe pencil-casing, the shuttle cannot then tilt on the tube, as its bodypart then bears on the walls of the casing.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings the shuttle H at itsbody portion is made in two separate pieces 7L h2, which abut eachother. The piece h', which has frictional contact with thepencil-casing, carries the backwardly-extending ngers f f2, like thoseof the shuttle F, and for similar purposes, and the other part h2, whichdoes not need to have frictional contact with the pencil-casing, has theradial part or pin f4 entering the lead-tube slot cl3, and also has anattachedl plunger f5 working in the lead-tube. "With this constructionit is not necessary to remove the lead-tube and shuttle from thepencil-casing to insert a new lead, as the ferrule B may be unlocked atbband drawn slightly outward, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, andthen turned a little axially, which, while causing the part 7t2of theshuttle to turn with the lead-tube, will allow the part 7L to beretained at rest by its friction on the walls of the bore of thepencil-casing. By turning the cap the pawl-iinger f2 on the part 7L willbe disengaged laterally from the lead-tube rack cl2, which will allow anew lead to be inserted from the pencil-point and pushed fully in,carrying the entire shuttle backward with it, and when the lead is fullyin the lead-tube D will by the cap be rotated axially back again tocause its rack to be engaged by the pawl of the shuttle or traveler, andafter the ferrule B is again latched or locked with the pencil-casing Athe pencil may be operated precisely as above described to feed the leadforward to furnish a new writing-point, or to carry or push the leadback to protect it in the casing.

lnthe modification shown in Fig. 9 of the drawingsthe shuttle ortraveler I, which iits closely to thewall of the bore of thepencilcasing, but loosely to the outside of the lead- IOO IIO

IZO

tube D, with its forward end slightly bent inward toward the tube tocenter the latter within the casing, has lixed to it a radial fin orplate i', which moves in the slot (Z3 of the lead-tube. To this plate t'is fixed a piece or plate J, which ranges along the interior of thelead-tube and has one elastic outbent end j, which acts as a pawl in thelead-tube notches d?, while its other endj serves as a plunger to feedthe lead E forward in the tube and project it from the pencil-easing.The friction of the shuttle I on the pencil-casing holds the shuttlewhile the pawl j clicks over the lead-tube rack as the tube is drawnback by the cap, and when the cap is again pushed forward the tube-rackcarries the traveler with the tube and feeds the lead forward. In thisconstruction the lead may also be pushed back with the shuttle,lead-tube, and cap by pressure on the lead-point to protect the point inthe casing, and the lead maybe again projected by pressure on the capand the shuttle may also be tilted on the lead-tube after theyarewithdrawn from the casing to disengage the pawlj from the tube-rackor notches, and

in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. I of the drawings to allow theshuttle to be slid on the tube to its back end.

In Fig. l0 of the drawings the lead E is confined within a traveler K,which is provided with a spring L, one fixed endl of which enters thelead-tube slot d3, while its other free or elastic end Z acts as a pawlinthe leadtube notches d2 from inside the tube. This construction alsoallows the lead E to be projeeted step by step to furnish newwritingpoints by simply reciprocating` the cap to which the lead-tubewill be attached, and the lead may also be pushed back by pressure onits point for protection within the pencil-casing. It is necessary inthis construction that the lead E shall fit the bore at the tapered endof the pencil tightly enough to retain the traveler, while the lead-tubeD is drawn back prior to again pushing it forward to advance the lead,as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Iatent-- 1. In a lcadpencil, the combination of a casinghaving a practically smooth bore, a lead-containing lengthwise-slottedtube therein, a lead-actuating traveler placed upon the slotted tube andengaging lthe same and having a frictional bearing by the outer face ofits body portion against the inner walls of the casing, whereby it issupported independently of the tube against unaided backward movement,and means for actuating said tube longitudinally from the outside of thecasing, substantially as described.

2. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing, of alongitudinally-movable lead-holding tube therein provided with alengthwise slot and a rack, a shuttle or traveler engaging the slot andrack and adapted to feed the lead forward as the tube moves forward, anda detent held to the lead-tube and adapted to lock with thepencil-casing or a fcrrule thereon to hold the lead projected for use,substantially as described.

In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having a practicallysmooth bore and a longitudinally-movable lengthwise-slotted lead-tubetherein,ofashuttleortravelerplaced on the tube and engaging it to movewith it, and also having frictional contact by the outer face of itsbody portion with the walls of the pencil-easing, said shuttle providedwith a radial portion entering the tube-slot and fced ing the leadforward, substantially as described.

Lt. In alead-pencil, the combination, with a easing having a practicallysmooth bore, of a longitudinally-movable lead-tube therein, a cap heldto the tube and guided by the casing or a ferrule thereon, a shuttle ortraveler placed on the tube and engaging it to move forward with it, andalso having frictional contact by the outer face of its body portionwith the walls of the easing to prevent its backward lnovement as thetube is drawn backward bythe cap, said shuttle also having a radialportion or plunger working in the tube to feed the lead forward, and adetent at the cap adapted to lock with the casingor its ferrule to holdthe lead projected for use, substantially as described.

5. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having a practicallysmooth bore, of a longitudinally movable lengthwise slotted lead-holding tube therein, a shuttle or traveler placed outside the tube andengaging it to be moved forward with it to feed the lead, and alsohaving frictional contact by the outer face of its body portion with thewalls of the pencil-easing to prevent its backward movement as thelead-tube is drawn backward, said shuttle also provided with a radialportion or plunger working in the tube to feed the lead forward, and adetent held to the lead-tube and adapted to lock with the pencil-casingor a ferrule thereon to hold the lead projected for use, substantiallyas described.

G. Ina lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing and alongitudinally-movable lengthwise-slotted lead-tube therein, of ashuttle or traveler placed on the tube and engaging it to move with it,and also having frictional contact with opposing walls of the easing,said shuttle being split or open at the side to permit circumferentialadjustment to the casing, and also having a radial portion or plungerentering the lead-tube to feed the lead forward, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apracticallysmooth bore, and a lead-tube therein havingalongitudinal slotand a rack, and a detent locking the tube against backward movement whenthe lead is projected, of a shuttle or traveler placed on the tube andhaving a pawl engaging the rack to move forward with the tube, and alsohaving frictional contact by the outer face of its IOO IIO

body portion with the walls of the pencil-casing, said' shuttle providedwith a radial por tion' or plunger entering the tube-slot and feedingthe lead forward,substantially as described. l

S. In alead-pencil, the combination of a casing having a practicallysmooth longitudinal bore, a tube within the same having a longitudinalslot and rack-teeth, a lead or crayon within said tube, and a travelersurrounding the tube for more than half its circumference, and having anindependent frictional bearing by the outer face of its body portionagainst the inner walls of the casing, said traveler having an arm oriin extending through the slot of the tube into the same, and apawlfinger or spring, which engages the rack-teeth of the tube,substantially as and for the purposes described.

O. In a lead-pencil, the combination of a casing having a longitudinalbore, a lengthwiseslotted tube in said bore having rack-teeth, a lead orcrayonwithin said tube, and a cylindrical or partly cylindrical travelerfitted loosely on the outside of the tube and having frictional contactwith the pencil-casing, and also having an arm or iin extending into thetube through its slot for actuating the lead, and a pawl iin ger orspring engaging the rackteeth ot' the tube, substantially as described,whereby when the lead-tube is removed from the pencil-casing thetraveler may be tilted to disengage the pawl from the teeth of the tube,but will be prevented from tilting while in the casing by its frictionalbearing against the casing, as set forth.

10. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, and a lead-tube therein provided With alongitudinal slot, of a shuttle or traveler placed on the tube andengaging it to move with it, and also having frictional contact by theouter face of its body portion with the walls of the casing, saidshuttle having a radial portion entering the Ilube-slot and providedwith a front prolongation adapted to push the last remnant of the leadfrom the pencil-casing, substantially as described.

1l. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, of a len gthwise-slotted llead -containing tubetherein, a shuttle or traveler placed loosely on the tube and havingfrictional bearing by the outer face of its body portion againstthecasing, the shuttle engaging the tube to move vwith the same in itsforward movement and and steadies the lead-tube in the casing, as

set forth.

12. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, of a longitudinally-movable lead-containingtube therein, having a lengthwise slot, a cylindricalor partlycylindrical shuttle or traveler fitted outside the tube and having anindependent frietional bearing by the outer face of its body portionagainst the inner Walls of the casing, and provided with a radialportion extending into the tube through its slot for actuating and beingactuated by the lead, said shuttle being provided with means forengaging positively with the tube against backward movement relativelyto said tube, but being movable forward and backward within thecasingwhile interlocked with the tube, and means for actuating the tube fromthe outside of the casing, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

13. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, of a longitudinally-movable lead-containingtube therein, having a lengthwise slot and rack-teeth, a cylindrical orpartly cylindrical shuttle or traveler fitted outside of the tube andhaving an independent frctional bearing by the outer face of its bodyportion with the inner walls of the casing, and provided with a radialportion extending into the tube through its slot for actuating and beingactuated by the lead, said shuttle also having a pawl or spring lingerengaging the rack-teeth of the tube and holding it against backwardmovement relatively to the tube, said shuttle being movable forward orbackward within the /casing while interlocked with the tube, and meansfor actuating the tube from the outside of the casing, substantially asand for the purposes described.

la. In-a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, and a lead-holding tube therein provided with alongitudinal slot and a rack, and a detent locking the tube againstbackward movement when the lead is projected, of a shuttle or travelerhaving` a body portion loosely fitting the tube and having frictionalContact with the casing, and provided with a pawl f2 and one or moreopposite spring-fingers f, and a radial fin f4, working through the slotof the lead-tube for feeding the lead, substantially as described.

l5. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, and a lead-holding tube therein provided with alongitudinal slot and a rack, and a detent locking the tube againstbackward movement when the lead is projected, of a shuttle or travelerhaving a body port-ion loosely fitting the tube and having frictionalcontact with the casing, and provided with a pawl f2 and one or moreopposite spring-iingers f, a radial fin f, and a plunger f5 on the partf4 and working in the lead-tube, substantially as described.

16. In a lead-pencil, the combination, with a casing having apractically smooth bore, and a lead-tube therein provided with alongitudinal slot, of a shuttle or traveler placed on the tube andconsisting ot' two endwise IOO abutting parts movable independently olwalls of; the pencil-easing to prevent back each other, one pin-Lengaging the tube to l movement of the shuttle as the lead-tube is movewith it :md adapted to be disengaged (lmwn backward, substantially asdescribed. io therefrom and the other part havinga radial i LEWIS H.SONDHEIM.

5 portion entering Jrhe lead-tube and feeding Vitnesses:

1 l the lead forward, one 01' both parts of the l HENRY L. GOODWIN,

EDGAR TME.

shuttle having frietioiml Contact with the

